Student Organization Groups

Step 1: Vetting Destination for Travel Risk

It is vital to ensure your chosen destination(s) are not on the Texas A&M University System International Travel Advisory List. Any travel planned to and/or through extreme-risk and/or high-risk regions included on this list, see page 7, will require additional travel authorization approval. 

If your destination(s) are on the list, please email abroad@tamu.edu to obtain recommendations for consideration. If your destination(s) are not on the list, please proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Support and Approval

If wishing to lead a student organization group abroad, review the Student Organization Group FAQs and the checklist for student organization group leaders and reach out to your organization’s staff advisor.

Note that with the implementation of new requirements and processes, we encourage department staff to contact Education Abroad in advance to discuss the steps, resources, and protocols in place.  Education Abroad can provide a list of program providers to deliver logistical support in the foreign location by contacting abroad@tamu.edu

Step 3: Propose a Student Organization Group Program 

Once the program leader/coordinator has developed the program and worked on a budget with their business office, submit the International Student Organization Group Proposal. You will click on the gold “Apply” button and log in with your NetID and Password.  It should then redirect you to the proposal application.

You will be asked to include the tentative itinerary, course information, provider information, budget, and other details.  The more information provided up front, the better.

**We do not recommend making any payments or reservations for the program prior to receiving approval from Education Abroad.

Time Abroad	Proposal Submission Deadline
Winter Break/Spring/Spring Break	July 1st
May/Summer/August/Fall	Priority Deadline - December 1st  Late Deadline – February 1st

Step 4: Approval & Registration

Upon receipt of the Student Organization Group Program proposal, a designated Education Abroad advisor will contact and work with the program/coordinator with next steps, including opening the program application in the Education Abroad Portal.

The Education Abroad advisor will work with the program leader/coordinator and student participants to complete training and preparation.

Program leaders traveling with the group will be required to attend a Program Leader briefing prior to departure

Student Group FAQs

International Student Organization Group Proposal

Who should complete the International Student Organization Group Proposal?
The person listed as the primary program leader on the form should complete it.

Who should be the primary program leader?
The primary program leader is usually the student program leader, the student organization advisor, or the faculty/staff member accompanying the program. However, this person does not have to be going on the program. The primary program leader is responsible for completing the Proposal and communicating with Education Abroad.

What should be included in the In-country Partner’s Proposal/correspondence section of the proposal?
You should attach the in-country partner’s proposal, quote or correspondence you have at this time. Items these documents should include are: per person costs, what those costs include, your itinerary, COVID-19 policy and the provider’s cancellation/withdrawal policy.

Proposal Process & Individual Student Application Process

How do we ensure the chosen destination(s) will be approved for Travel?
It is important to ensure your chosen destination(s) are not on the Texas A&M University System International Travel Advisory List. Any travel planned to and/or through extreme-risk and/or high-risk regions included on this list, see page 7, will require additional travel authorization approval. If your destination(s) are on the list, please email abroad@tamu.edu to obtain recommendations for consideration. If your destination(s) are not on the list, please proceed to the next items.

Where is the link to submit the Proposal? The Proposal: Student Organization Group Programs can be found on our portal. You will click on the gold “Apply” button and log in with your NetID and Password. It should then redirect you to the proposal application. You will be asked to include the tentative itinerary, course information, provider information, budget, and other details.

Is there an individual student application? Yes. Once the proposal has been received, reviewed, and approved, an Education Abroad (EA) Advisor will send the leader the link to access the individual student applications. The program leader should then send this application link to all participants.

If the primary program leader is a student, does this student need to submit the individual program application? If the primary program leader is a student and is going on the trip – yes, this student needs to submit an individual application. If the primary program leader is a student and is not going on the trip – no, this student only needs to submit the proposal.

If the primary program leader is a faculty/staff member, does this faculty/staff leader need to submit an individual program application?
No. If the primary program leader is a faculty/staff member, the individual application for the specific program abroad is only for students. We will collect any information needed from the faculty/staff leader on an as needed basis.

Do all program leaders need to attend the Program Leader Briefing?
Yes. All student, faculty and staff program leaders must attend a Program Leader Briefing.

Student Eligibility

What are the TAMU eligibility requirements for students to participate in a student organization group program abroad?
Texas A&M University requires students to have a minimum 2.0 GPA to participate in education abroad programs, as well as be in good academic standing and good conduct standing. The student organization coordinating the program might have additional requirements.

Can students who have graduated participate in a Student Organization Group program abroad?
If your organization’s constitution allows student participation in an international program after graduation, it is possible for a student that graduates in the same term as the program to apply to participate. This means a May graduate could attend a May program abroad, an August graduate could attend an August program abroad, and a December graduate could attend a December/January program abroad. However, if a student graduates in December and plans to go on the program in May, they will not be eligible to participate in the program as a student of A&M and as part of the student organization.

Program Leader Requirement & Education Abroad Fee

How many program leaders must each group have identified?
The requirement of two program leaders remains in place. These could be Texas A&M faculty, graduate assistants, staff, or student leaders. In some cases, the second leader may be in the in-country program partner.

How much is the Education Abroad Registration Fee for International Student Organization Group programs?
$100 per student. Details about this fee can be found on our website here.

How is the Education Abroad Fee billed to the students?
The fee can be billed in one of two ways:

Directly to individual students’ TAMU account through Student Business Services, or
To the organization/department on campus coordinating the trip through an Interdepartmental Transfer (IDT) of funds.

The individual completing the proposal form will choose one of the above options when prompted.

When will the Education Abroad Fee be billed?
Approximately one month prior to the group’s program departure date.

Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) - International Health Insurance Coverage

Is the CISI health insurance included in the $100 Education Abroad Fee?
For programs under a two-week duration, the $100 service fee includes international medical and evacuation insurance coverage through CISI. For programs exceeding two weeks, please contact Education Abroad to verify the current daily CISI rate to budget per student participant.

Are Texas A&M faculty/staff enrolled in the CISI health insurance?
Yes, any Texas A&M faculty/staff joining the group abroad will be enrolled in the CISI group coverage.

How and when are participants enrolled in the CISI health insurance policy?
Participants are enrolled in the CISI policy by an EA Advisor approximately 1 month prior to the group’s departure date, once the final list of student/faculty/staff participants is confirmed. Each participant will receive an email directly from CISI with their insurance card, a copy of the policy, and directions for how to log into their online portal.

What does the CISI coverage include?
The coverage provided by CISI for medical insurance and emergency assistance is very comprehensive. The latest CISI policy can be found on the Health and Safety webpage.

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Student Organization Groups

Step 1: Vetting Destination for Travel Risk

Step 2: Support and Approval

Step 3: Propose a Student Organization Group Program

Step 4: Approval & Registration

Student Group FAQs

International Student Organization Group Proposal

Proposal Process & Individual Student Application Process

Student Eligibility

Program Leader Requirement & Education Abroad Fee

Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) - International Health Insurance Coverage

Student Organization Groups